How to Dance in the Rain
by thiiamia
Summary: "You can walk away and say, "We don't need this," but something in your eyes says, "We can beat this." A series of one shot stories between Lucas and Riley.
1. Come Back, Be Here

A/N: So, many years ago in high school (early high school), I attempted to write fics. (If you want to read, two still exist on this site.) I never finished either of them. I always regretted that and I may go back to them, but I thought I try again. Plus, there's an abundance of Lucaya fics on this site (I've read some that are really good), and I'm more of a Rucas shipper, so I thought I contribute some. (No haters)

 **Come Back, Be Here**

Riley fidgeted in her seat as she drove to the airport. She should be feeling excited, she's been waiting six months for this day, but all she felt was her stomach churning. She was nervous, no doubt. It's not like she hasn't seen him since he left. There was one trip to Texas. Just one. But that trip left nothing answered. In fact, it probably left Riley more scared than before. Scared of loving a man that would enjoy his life without her. He often reassured her that his feelings about her would never change. But Riley had that feeling. The haunting dreams did not help. Haunting seems too menacing to talk about the man she loves. But these dreams haven't always been good. No, sometimes they shake her very core, causing her to jolt awake with panic. She's lost count to how many times she's had to reassure herself that it was just a dream. But no longer, he was finally coming home.

 _"How long are you going to be gone?" Lucas turned to the timid voice that asked the question he was dreading. He knew he was doing the right thing. Pappy Joe was sick and he promised to help out on the farm till he got better. He just didn't know how long. He looked at the girl that was currently sitting on his bed while he packed. He hate to leave her. They had just started their relationship, the relationship that's been 13 years in the making. And now he's leaving for who knows how long. And she looked so sad. He hated that he was the reason for her sadness._

 _He walked to her and gently grabbed her face so she was staring at him now, "I'm going to come back. I would never leave my sunshine."_

 _Riley smiled at what he said but he still didn't answer her question, "How long?"_

 _Lucas sighed and let go of her face and sat next to her on the bed, "The doctor said the treatment would probably weaken his ability for a 4-6 months. So I'm hoping 6 months the most."_

 _"6 months? That's not so bad," Riley responded optimistically. In retrospect, six month was really short compared to lovers who had to be separated for years due to war. But it still made her nervous as they had just started dating, if you could even count it as that._

 _"You can always visit me," Lucas put his arms around her and leaned his head on her shoulder. Riley chuckled._

 _"I might take you up on that offer Mr. Friar," Riley giggled. She was incredibly lucky she got a job has a kindergarten teacher at John Adams Elementary. As Uncle Turner was still the superintendent of the school district, the interview process was definitely a funny one. "School doesn't start for a couple of months, maybe I can come for a week before my life gets dominated by five year olds."_

 _Lucas hugged her tighter, "Those kids are lucky to have you as their teacher."_

 _"What about the hospital?" Riley asked. Lucas' dream had become a reality when he was accepted to start working at the animal hospital in New York City. Riley couldn't have been prouder when he received the phone call accepting the position and she knew Lucas would be heartbroken if this opportunity was taken from him._

 _"They were actually very understanding about it. They're deferring my acceptance for until I come back, as long as I come back before the new year starts. Apparently it works well as the veterinarian I will be replacing will leave the hospital at the end of January. They had hoped I could familiarize myself with his patients before he leaves but they were fine with it." Lucas explained and Riley felt a bit better about the situation. There was really no reason for him to not go then._

Lucas stood at the welcoming terminal, looking for the familiar face he's been missing. To say he was nervous was an understatement. After the last time he saw Riley, he was afraid that her feelings for him have changed. All because of Chelsea.

Lucas honestly felt nothing for her. His only admiration for her consisted of the fact that she was a great worker at his grandpa's farm. But when Riley walked into the barn to say good-bye, at that moment, Chelsea kissed him. Lucas' only reaction was from the tiny gasp he heard from behind him. He turned around and saw the love of his life, with her right hand over her mouth (as if to cover her sound.) As soon as Lucas turned, she ran and Lucas ran after her. He reassured her that he did not instigate the kiss (nor respond to the kiss) and also felt absolutely nothing for Chelsea (and he really felt nothing.) With words, Riley responded that she believed him. But her eyes, her facial expression, they said another story: She had doubt.

 _"Riley, I swear," Lucas pleaded while gripping Riley's left wrist, "she kissed me." Lucas stared at Riley as if nothing else existed around them. He would do anything to look at her eyes right now, to see the sparkle that she always had when she stared at him. But Riley refused to look up. Lucas knew, she was afraid._

 _Riley stared at the ground and wished for it to open and swallow her whole. She wanted to get away, be anywhere but here. She would've kept running but he grabbed her and turned her around. She closed her eyes, wishing to disappear. Maybe this was all a dream. She knew it was no use to try to run away from him. He would catch up to her, he always caught up to her. Before another thought entered her mind, Riley felt a warm touch underneath her chin and opened her eyes. She felt her head being lifted her and it forced her to stare at the green eyes she has been avoiding this whole time._

 _"Riley? Please, you have to believe me," Lucas whispered. Riley feels like she should say something but nothing comes out. Lucas has never lied to her when it involved their relationship. That was one thing she admired about him. Even when she was hesitant about dating, he was always upfront about how he felt. He liked her. He loved her. He couldn't live without her. He was always the first one to say it. And Riley finally believed him and ignored her fear, fear of losing him if the relationship didn't work. Something she feared right now. But then she stared in his eyes and she saw the same eyes that told her that he loved her, the same eyes that told her he never leave her, the same eyes that told her she was the one._

 _Lucas was afraid. She hadn't said anything, just staring. Knowing her all this time, he knew that a silent Riley was never a good thing. All he wanted was to reassure her, to love her, to make sure she believed in his love and their love. But at the moment, Lucas was afraid that all his work over the years had gone down the drain. He didn't know what he would do if Riley didn't believe him. He didn't want to think about what he might do. No, he promised her that he would never go back to the violence again. No, she will believe him. They're Pluto._

 _"Okay, I believe you," she said and Lucas finally took a breath and smiled. But he knew she was hiding._

Despite Riley's nervousness, she smiled when she saw the handsome boy walk through the welcome terminal. Before she had a chance to yell for his attention, she saw that his eyes had caught hers. She saw him walking towards her but she couldn't wait. Riley ran towards him and immediately jumped into his arms when she reached him. Her Lucas was finally back.

Lucas knew that he missed the girl in his arms but as soon as she jumped into him, his heart nearly bursted. Her slender figure was enveloped into his arms and he never wanted to let her go. In fact, in that moment, Lucas knew that he was never letting her go.


	2. I Heart?

A/N: Reminder, this is series of one-shots of different moments in Riley and Lucas' life. Obviously, I do not own the characters, the show, or anything really. This was just something cute and short (inspired by Girl Meets Belief), a breather if you will. The next one-shot after this is definitely…well, you'll see. Enjoy.

 **I Heart?**

"Riley, do you know how many single shoes I have in my closet right now?" Lucas asked over the phone while staring at the pile of single shoes with no matches in his closet. It's Saturday and his mom had refused to let him leave the house unless he cleaned his room. He heard a giggle over his speakerphone.

"Let me guess, 15?" Riley's teasing voice could be heard.

"Yes, and do you know why I have 15 single shoes right now?" Lucas asked frustrated.

"Maybe because their other halves are in a bucket next to my bed," she responded and then burst out laughing. Lucas did not find this funny. Ever since the first time he's been in Riley's room, Mr. Matthews has taken one shoe from him every time he caught Lucas in her room. And every time, he had to walk home with one shoe. He should be glad that he doesn't catch him every time he's in there but still, this was getting ridiculous. He can't keep buying more shoes!

"Hey! This isn't funny! All of them were perfectly good shoes before your father decided to separate each pair," Lucas responded with a huff.

"Why don't you ever just ask for them back?" he heard her question. Lucas paused. Why doesn't he ever just ask for them back? It's not like Riley couldn't just give it back to him at school. He saw the bucket of shoes all the time whenever he was in her room. That's another thing Lucas didn't understand. Why doesn't he ever just grab it and leave? It's not like Mr. Matthews catches him every single time he's in the room. Why has he never just taken them back on the days that he doesn't get caught? Lucas had no idea why he never thought about this, instead of just buying a new pair every single time. "I guess I just never thought about that."

"Uh huh," he only heard her voice but he could imagine the smug face Riley was currently giving him to accompany this conversation. He decided to retort back.

"How come you never offered to give them back to me?" he asked, "It works both ways honey."

"You never asked." Lucas rolled his eyes and scoffed at that response. At this point, he had given up on his closet and just resorted to stuffing everything in it. At least the appearance of his room looks clean. As long as no one opens any drawers or closets, he should be fine. He stood in the middle of the room, examining his work and decided that it was good enough aesthetically. Grabbing his phone from his bookshelf and turning it off speaker, he placed it next to his ear and laid on his bed.

"You know, I think you just secretly wanted to keep my shoes," Lucas said with a smirk on his face. He still liked her; that much was obvious. But when they entered high school, no one was with anyone and everyone decided that friendship was the best way for them to coexist. So, the core five remain. And they couldn't have asked for better friends.

"You caught me. But seriously, why would I possibly need 15 single men shoes?" Riley asked, slightly playing alone.

"Because you're secretly in lov.." Lucas started, but stopped himself. If he continued his sentence, he knew it would open up a can of worms. He would like to keep that can of worms closed as long as possible, or at least until both him and Riley are ready to talk about their feelings toward each other. Their friendship had been so amazing and Lucas would hate to be the one to mess it up again. Not after last time. Lucas shuddered the thought.

"Why doesn't your dad ever do this to Farkle? He's in the room more than I am!" Lucas exclaimed instead.

"Because my daddy knows that I like y…" Lucas heard Riley gasp. Wait, was she going to say it? Did Lucas hear her right? Did she almost slip and say that she liked me too?

"You like what?" Lucas asked, hoping to get an answer. However, luck wasn't on his side as she quickly mumbled that she had to go and hung up the phone.

The following Monday, Riley gave Lucas a bag full of his shoes without saying anything. He wanted to talk to her about what happened but he never found a time alone with her. By the end of the school day, Lucas had decided that he would wait and bring it up again at the opportune time, preferably, a time when she can't run away from him.

When he got home and started matching the shoes in his room, he noticed that one single shoe was missing: the very first shoe Mr. Matthews had ever taken from him.


	3. Safe and Sound

A/N: Sorry, I'm so horrid. It took me forever to update. But the important thing is, I did! Remember, this story is a series of one-shots of Lucas and Riley's life. The stories are not in its timeline order (much like how Disney airs the actual GMW episodes. Ha!) Obviously, I do not own the characters, the show, or anything really. Enjoy.

 **Safe and Sound**

Orange, red, and yellow colored leaves fell to the ground as the fall season brings about the most perfect weather. Or so Riley thought. So perfect, in fact, that Riley decided to walk back to her dorm instead of taking the subway. However, as the perfect fall weather had come to New York, so did the longer nights. Instead of the summer light that she was accustomed to when she normally walked home from the library, it has now been replaced by a deep red overlay as the sun sets and the moon begins to unhide from the clouds in the sky.

Riley looked at her watch. 6:30 and already so dark. But Riley wasn't worried. She had traveled this route thousands of time and she was confident that no harm would come to her. That was until she had the weird feeling of someone following her. She contemplated on looking behind but was afraid that she would lose the advantage she currently held. She thought about the pepper spray that currently resides in her purse. Should she grab it? Or was it too early? What is considered too early? 'Maybe there isn't even anyone following,' Riley thought. But as soon as the thought appeared, Riley heard a leaf crunch on the floor and knew it wasn't just paranoia. Someone was behind her. Before she had a chance to figure out what to do next, she felt something hard against her head. And she stopped, afraid to move.

"Please," Riley whispered, frozen with fear. She wanted to turn around and look but she was too afraid. She didn't want to die.

"I don't want to hurt you," Riley was confused. Instead of hearing a scary menacing voice, she heard a gruff but soft voice. A fatherly voice really. "I just really need money."

"Then what are you doing with me?" Riley stuttered but still not moving. Someone had to walk by right? It wasn't that late and she wondered why she hasn't seen anyone walk by in awhile.

"You look like you're well off," the voice responded.

"I don't have any cash with me," Riley noted, hoping that if he realized that she had no money, he would leave her alone.

"You have an ATM card don't you?" He asked.

Riley didn't want to respond and stayed quiet. But he was impatient and nudged her head with what Riley assumed was a gun. This scared Riley and she nodded, tears starting to fall down her face. "There's an ATM in front, walk straight and withdraw as much as you can."

Riley didn't move. She thought about it, maybe she can run for it. But as if the man was reading her mind, "Don't think about running away, I'm a real quick shot but I don't think you want to find out how quick."

As Riley walked towards the ATM, the man followed her, never taking the gun off of her head. 'How has no one seen them yet?' Riley wondered. When she got to the machine, she went through the transaction.

"Is 300 enough?" Riley stuttered, asking the man behind her.

"Yeah," the man mumbled, "that's fine."

As Riley withdrew the money in silence, the man started talking, "I really don't want to hurt you. I just needed money to buy my daughter a present."

As soon as Riley heard that, she immediately turned around, forgetting about the gun that was pointed at her head, "Your daughter?" She asked. She finally saw the man that had held her 'captive'. He didn't look like a criminal. A little dirty maybe, but Riley didn't see someone who looked like a bad guy. She saw a man who looked like he had been through hardships that Riley would probably never understand.

She saw his shocked expression when she turned around to face him. As soon as their eyes met, the man lowered the arm that held the gun. "Yeah, it's her birthday Friday and I don't have any money to buy her a gift," the man mumbled looking down.

Suddenly, Riley wasn't scared anymore. The man wasn't a criminal or a killer; he was just a father who wanted to buy his daughter a gift. From what her father had told her before, parents do just about anything for their kids. And this man in front of her was doing just that.

"Can I ask you something?" Riley questioned, breaking the silence that had existed between them. The man looked at her with a confused expression and nodded.

"Are you okay?" The man looked at her with a shocked expression on his face. 'He probably wasn't expecting that question,' Riley thought. The man continued to stare at her, never saying a word. As the air between them remained silent, Riley took the time to study his demeanor. He didn't look like a criminal. In fact, he kind of reminded her of her own dad. And if her instincts were accurate, there must be more to his story.

"How old is your daughter?" Riley asked, trying to nudge a response out from him. She didn't think he would answer but she heard the slightest murmur of the word 'five'. A five-year-old girl. She probably didn't know of the struggle her father is going through. And what father would want to burden his child with that kind of information? If he's anything like Riley's own father, he probably just wants to see his daughter happy and smiling. Riley didn't know this man and she didn't know his daughter but she wanted to help him get that smile. Before she could say anything, the man started speaking.

"Look, I'm really sorry for what I did. It was a spur of the moment thing and it's not what I usually do. But when I found this unloaded gun, I just got desperate and I never meant to hurt you. I'm just strapped with money and I didn't want my little girl to be disappointed..." Riley just kept listening to the man in front of her ramble. By now, he had dropped the gun on the ground and he was just spurring apology after apology. Riley couldn't help but not smile. She was hesitant about what she was going to do next but after hearing him ramble, she didn't doubt her next actions.

Her left hand reached out to grab the man in front of her, "Stop. It's okay. I understand. People make mistakes. It's important to not let the mistakes define who you are," she said to the man. The man just continued to stare at Riley as she held out her right hand with the money in her hand, "Here, take the money. Buy your daughter the gift she deserves. Be the hero for her."

Riley was now five minutes away from her apartment and she felt like the happiest girl in the world. After she had handed the man, Brian, as she now knew him as, the money, he couldn't stop thanking and hugging her. They even parted on wonderful terms as they had exchanged numbers with promises of Riley to connect him with her father. He had been a school teacher and he was laid off due to budget cuts. As she looked for her keys to open the door to her building, she heard her name being called and turned around. Before she could register what was happening, a shot was fired.

* * *

Maya was walking to Riley's dorm when she saw something weird on the street. Being the curious girl that Maya was, she decided to watch from a distance. But as soon as she saw it was someone lying on the street, she knew that it was trouble. She immediately called Farkle and when he picked up, she has never felt more grateful.

"Stay on the line. I think someone's in trouble and I need you to call the police while I get closer to see what's up," Maya said in hushed tones as she walked closer to the body that laid on the curb. However, as soon as she got closer, she noticed the specific scarf that was around the person's neck, a very personalized purple scarf with the word 'Pluto' surrounded by stitched drawings of the planet.

"RILEY?!" Maya immediately ran and saw her best friend on the sidewalk, blood surrounding her. She quickly knelt down and hovered over the stiff girl, trying to stop the bleeding on her stomach with whatever extra cloth she could find. She heard a voice yelling her name, forgetting that she was on the phone

"CALL 911. RILEY'S DORM. SHE'S BEEN SHOT!" She yelled, hoping Farkle could hear. "Come on Riley, stay awake. Don't you dare go anywhere. Stay with me, stay with me," Maya said as she grabbed hold of Riley's head and was hugging her closer to her own body. She felt a movement and noticed Riley's eye fluttering.

"Maya?" She heard a whisper and saw her best friend look up at her.

"Riley, you're going to be okay. The ambulance is coming. Just stay with me okay? Just stay with me," Maya whispered back, cradling her head. Before Riley could respond, she faded out.

* * *

Lucas ran through the hospital doors. A million thoughts were going through his mind but they all had a common theme: Riley. He felt like his world fell apart when he got the phone call. He practically screamed for a taxi and cried bloody murder when the driver drove into a traffic jam. He probably could've ripped the door right off the taxi as he pushed it open and started running for the hospital. Nothing was going to happen to her. She's fine.

"Riley."

Maya turned around and saw the heartbroken boy. She didn't know how to console him because, to be honest, she needed consoling as well. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews were outside talking to the doctor about what happened to Riley and even though she knew that she was fine (the doctor reassured them when he first walked in), she still had the gut wrenching feeling and confusion on how someone could've done this to her sweet Riley.

She saw Lucas walk next to Riley's bed, "The doctor said she's fine. The bullet missed any important internal organs. They gave her a shot to numb her pain and she fell asleep soon after." Lucas didn't look like he listened, his eyes never left the girl and for a brief moment, Maya wondered if anyone would ever look at her like that. She shook herself of the thought and brought her attention back to the love-sick boy in front of her. She saw him grab her left hand and just hold it. Knowing what she needed to do, Maya slowly moved from her spot, pushed a nearby chair behind Lucas and quietly walked out of the room.

Cory Matthews was not prepared for this. Though he constantly lectured his students about the curve balls life throws at them, he was not prepared for this. His little girl was shot and he wasn't there to protect her.

After talking to the doctor, Cory felt a bit better. Not much but knowing that his baby girl was going to be fine took a weight off of his shoulders. He looked next to him, his wife who was sitting next to him with tears in her eyes. He couldn't imagine what led to this moment. He stood up and walked to his baby girl's room. Standing at the door, he saw the boy that he begrudgingly accepted as Riley's 'thing'. He didn't know what to call him. They weren't dating, according to his daughter. But they were definitely something. Even if his daughter wouldn't admit it, Cory has seen this boy pine for his daughter since his first arrival in his classroom. And make no mistake; he's seen the way the boy looked at his daughter. It's the same way he looks at Topanga. And because of this, Cory will always be a little scared. Scared because he knows that when they actually get together, his little girl won't be his little girl anymore.

Cory walked into the room and stood next to the boy, putting his left hand on the boy's shoulder, "She's going to be fine."

Lucas knew that Mr. Matthews walked in. He felt him stand next to him. He heard the words that were said. But he couldn't look away from the brunette in front of him, lying on the bed right now. His sunshine. He might not have realized it but tears started forming and before he knew it, he was crying with Mr. Matthews patting his back. "Why did this happen to her?"

Cory paused, "Sometimes, bad things happen to good people."

* * *

It's been two days and Lucas had not left Riley's side. And not for the lack of persuading from everyone else. Even Riley, after she woke up, tried to convince Lucas to leave. But he refused, saying that he was never leaving her again. Riley didn't want to admit it but she fell more in love with him than she ever did before in those two days. He acted like she was the only one. In fact, he's always acted like that. So, why couldn't she just tell him she loves him?

She saw him begin to stir. Even when he's asleep, he always stayed next to her bed. He usually slept in the position in which he used her bed as a pillow.

"Lucas?" Riley whispered as she combed his hair with her fingers.

He slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head up from the bed. His hair tousled and messy, but Riley still thought he looked as gorgeous as ever. He turned to look at Riley with a smile on his face, "Morning Sunshine."

Riley couldn't help but smile, "Good morning. How'd you sleep last night?"

He grabbed her hand and gave it a kiss, "Wonderful knowing that you're next to me."

Riley was sure he saw the blush on her face, "I really wish you go home to rest though. I feel really bad about you sleeping on the chair. It can't be comfortable."

"Don't you dare worry about me," Lucas said. But that didn't ease Riley's worry. And then she thought, maybe she could tell him to lay with her in the bed. Or was that too forward? She didn't know but then again...

"Do you want to lie next to me?" She suddenly asked and Lucas had to do a double take.

Noticing Lucas' confused face, Riley tried again. "It's fairly early and I'm still tired so I was just going to go back to sleep. I know you went to sleep after me and only woke up a few minutes after I did, meaning you're probably still tired. And since I can't convince you to go home and be more comfortable, the next best thing would be you sleeping with me on my bed."

Riley sounded like she said everything in one breath. Lucas would be worried if he wasn't so excited. "Are you sure?"

Riley nodded her head and moved to the side of her bed, making room for Lucas to come in. Carefully, without disrupting any of the tubes and wires that's currently attached to Riley, he slid in next to her and put his right arm above Riley's head, facing her while Riley moved to face him as well.

"Is this okay?" Riley whispered, staring into Lucas.

Lucas kissed her forehead, "it's perfect."

* * *

A couple of hours later, Topanga walked into Riley's room and saw the two sleeping in the bed. She sighed with happiness and could not get over the fact of how adorable it was. Cory walked in after her and immediately gasped.

"No no no. Too soon. Too soon for boy," Cory muttered, shaking his head.

Topanga slapped his arm, "Oh hush you, they're adorable and obviously very much in love. Remember when we were young and in love?"

All Cory could do was stare at the figures lying on the bed with a look of contentment on their faces, "Yeah, I do."


	4. Tied Together with a Smile

A/N: A couple of comments/private messages have asked me about the continuation of the previous chapter, 'Safe and Sound'. First, thanks for the private messages. They were quite a hoot. Second, I'm sorry to say that this chapter is not the continuation chapter. After such a serious chapter, I thought I post a more light-hearted chapter. Third, I do plan on posting a continuation chapter. It just won't be posted for another… several chapters (give or take – because I do have some other one-shots written already). But it is coming. I promise! (Hopefully the fact that I've updated so soon will ease the blow?)

As such, I do not own the characters, the show, or anything really. Enjoy!

 **Tied Together with a Smile**

"So… are you going to ask her?" Farkle asked Lucas while standing by his locker. Lucas pulled the history book from his locker and then nudged the locker closed.

"Isn't it kind of inappropriate? She just broke up Will," Lucas responded as they started walking to class.

"It's been two weeks Lucas. Long enough to mourn for that trash of a relationship. In fact, way too long considering that guy was an asshole." Farkle mumbled in response.

"Whoa Farkle," Lucas looked at his friend with surprise. But he didn't blame him. Will was truly terrible. Not only did he constantly yell at Riley, Farkle and Lucas saw him cheat on her with another girl from Lakeview. That did not sit well with both of them but they refused to tell Riley so they used other methods to get them to beak up. She already had Charlie cheat on her, they didn't want her to be upset when she found out that another boy had cheated on her. "Still..." Lucas responded, unsure.

Farkle groaned and stopped walking, exasperated and yelled while flinging his arm in the air, "Just tell her man!"

"Tell who what?"

Farkle and Lucas immediately turned and saw Riley walking towards them with Maya. Maya had a smirk on her face. Lucas knew that she knew.

"Hey," Lucas said when his eyes landed on Riley.

"Hi," Riley responded back with a smile and a head tilt. Lucas loved it when she did that. He thought it was the cutest thing ever.

Maya walked away from Riley and stood between the boys and Riley, "Yeah okay. Hey Hi Hey Hi, great, now that we got that over with," she said then turning to face Farkle with a smirk on her face, again, "Who did you need to tell what now?"

Lucas and Farkle looked at each other. Lucas had a distressed look on his face and Farkle knew this wasn't the time. So Farkle did what he did best, distract.

"Ladies. Have I told you lately how much I love you both?" He said as he put his arms around each of their shoulders. And then he continued to babble as he walked them the direction of their class. Lucas just shook his head and chuckled, 'only Farkle man' and walked behind them.

* * *

Lunchtime rolled around and Lucas sat in the library trying to study. Though his biology test was two days away, he knew he wouldn't have as much time as he wanted to study due to practice that night and the game the next night. As he read through the chapter, he noticed a sandwich placed in front of him and he looked up.

"Figured you need some sustenance, being a growing athletic boy and all," Riley smiled and placed down a bottle of water as well.

Lucas couldn't help but smile as he took the sandwich, unwrapped it, and took a bite, "This is delicious."

Riley chuckled and sat in the seat next to him, "I'll be sure to tell Lunch Lady Loretta." She looked at his textbook, "Studying?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah, I have a long practice tonight and a game tomorrow so I don't really have much time to study."

Riley immediately stood up, "And I'm distrusting you, I'm so sorry! I'll just let you continue your studying," she rambled. Before she could walk away, she felt a grasp on her wrist and she turned around.

"Stay, I could use some company." Lucas said, looking at her with the green hazel eyes that she has loved since seventh grade. She slowly sat back down in her seat. "Much better," Lucas said with a grin on his face while he took another bite.

Riley sighed, "Fine. But don't blame me if you fail your biology test."

Lucas just waved it off, "Meh, I'll be fine."

Silence fell between them as neither of them said a word. Riley alternated between looking at him and at her own hands while Lucas silently ate his sandwich. Suddenly, Lucas sees a bottle of water in his view, "Here, you should drink some water."

Lucas put the last bite in his mouth and then took the bottle from Riley. 'Might as well ask her now.' After he's swallowed, he looked up at Riley, "So, are you going to winter formal?"

Riley just shrugged. She was planning on going when she was dating Will. But then he broke up with her unexpectedly and now she didn't know if she wanted to go. She hated going to dances alone, especially if her ex-boyfriend was going to be there with another girl. She didn't need to see that. "I'm not sure if I'm feeling it anymore."

Lucas heart slumped, "Why not?"

"No one to go with," Riley simply said. Lucas' mood immediately peaked.

"That's easily fixable," Lucas said, taking a sip of his water. Riley looked at him with confusion on her face, "Huh?"

"Go with me," Lucas responded as if it was the simplest solution in the world. Riley's eyes widened. 'Did he just? Wait, what?'

"Did you just ask me to go to the dance with you?" Riley asked, a bit louder than she had intended. The librarian shushed her.

"Yes. And why not? We enjoy each other's company and we obviously like each other," Lucas let slipped and Riley looked at him with a head tilt and more confusion. Lucas quickly backtracked, "I mean, we obviously like each other as friends."

Riley doesn't know why but she felt a bit sad when he corrected himself. "You know, I can see why you're not dating anyone."

Now it was Lucas' turn to be confused, "why?"

"Because you're horrid at asking girls to dances," Riley said with a giggle and Lucas visibly relaxed.

"So, is that a yes?" Lucas asked again to be sure.

"Yeah Lucas, I'll go with you."

* * *

"I thought you already asked her," Farkle said as he helped Lucas carry the boxes from his car to his garage. It was Saturday and Farkle was not happy when Lucas called him at 8 a.m. asking for help. In fact, Farkle threw his phone against the wall when he hung up from the call. But when Lucas showed up to his house with his favorite coffee and beignets, he figured he let it slide.

"I did, but it wasn't a proper ask. So I'm going to give her a proper ask." Lucas said as he started taking the supplies out of the box. Paints, brushes, and a gigantic white bed sheet.

Farkle looked at the supplies. "So, what exactly are we making?" he questioned as he stood at the side, watching Lucas set up all his supplies.

Lucas dropped the brushes he was holding and looked at Farkle with an exasperated look on his face, "I have no idea."

Farkle blinked twice and shook his head with confusion, "What?"

"I wanted to make a poster just asking her to formal but then I realized that it was too lame. I mean, Charlie got Yogi on skates and all I can think of is to make a measly poster!" Lucas panicked. He had told Maya to keep Riley busy today so he could prepare this for her and then surprise her at Topanga's. Though it was still the morning, he felt like he wouldn't be able to pull this off in time.

Still looking at the all the stuff in front of them, Farkle nodded his head, "What time did you tell Maya to bring Riley to Topanga's?"

"Six but we should get there by 5:30 to set up," Lucas responded, "if I have anything to set up."

Farkle turned to look at Lucas with a grin on his face, "Oh friend, you'll have plenty to set up."

* * *

"I've been craving for this muffin forever."

Maya and Riley were currently walking to Topanga's to bring some food back for their movie marathon. All Riley could do was chuckle at her best friend, who was currently dragging her to Topanga's. In fact, she was very comfy at home, in her pajamas, when Maya suddenly had a craving for a blueberry muffin, and literally dragged out her out of her apartment to get it. She was in such a hurry that Riley didn't even get a chance to change out of her pajamas. All she did was grab a thick jacket. "Maya, it's just a muffin. It's not like they're going to run out."

"Well, I won't be satisfied until I have the muffin in my hand." Maya said as they arrived at Topanga's and opened the door to let Riley in.

Riley laughed at her friend and walked into Topanga's. However, as soon as she looked in the bakery, she saw hundreds of balloons fill the room with various colors. It reminded her of the balloons that allowed the house to fly up in the sky, like the movie _Up._

"What the..."

Examining all the balloons, she almost didn't see the boy walking out of the balloons and standing in front of her with flowers and chocolate. "Lucas, what's going on?"

"You like it?" he asked with a smile that could light up an entire city block.

"Wait, this is for me?" Riley asked with a surprise. She always loved balloons. Balloons of every color, together, it's like happiness.

"This is me, asking if you would go to Formal with me," Lucas responded holding out the flowers and chocolate to her.

"But I already agreed to go to Formal with you?" Riley muttered with confusion, still mesmerized by the balloons surrounding them.

He chuckled at Riley's face; it was just too adorable. "You did, but you also mentioned that I was terrible at asking girls to dances," Lucas explained then gesturing to the balloons, "I had to prove you wrong."

Riley took the flowers from him and laughed, "Fine, you're not terrible." Before Lucas could respond, Riley tiptoed and kissed him the lips. The kiss was quick but still shocked Lucas as he dropped the box of chocolate on the ground. But neither of them noticed as they stared at each other with a goofy smile on their faces.

"We did good huh?" Farkle came up from behind Maya and placed his arm over her shoulders.

Instinctively, Maya laid her head into him, "Yeah, we did."


	5. Eyes Open

Author's Note: It's been three months. I'm long overdue. Also, because I couldn't deal with disappointing onceuponatime2011 anymore, here's a new chapter! Usual disclaimer. This story is a series of one-shots of Lucas and Riley's life. The stories are not in its timeline order. I do not own the characters, the show, or anything really. Enjoy!

 **Eyes Open**

Lucas Friar was tired. Dead tired. So tired that he thought he saw a bed floating by when he was waiting for the crosswalk light to turn green to signal him to walk. As he walked across the street, he smelled hot dogs from a nearby cart and it made his stomach growl. The past couple of weeks consisted of him eating whatever he could find in his apartment, which mainly consisted of Rice Krispies and energy bars. He never bothered to cook because that would require actual effort, something he did not have the energy for after a busy day, which was a non-stop marathon between school and internship. But as his last shift at the clinic was completed the night before and he took his last final this morning, he was officially on break.

He ran into his building with excitement and didn't wait long for the elevator. He was hungry but sleep was more important and right now, his bed was the destination spot. As he exited the elevator and walked to his door, he thought about his head hitting the pillow in his bed. He chuckled and thought that there may be something wrong with him if he's this excited about sleeping. Opening the door to his apartment, he noticed something was different. He couldn't figure it out. Was it brighter in here or has he just be so zoned lately that he didn't notice? And it smelled...flowery. Like someone sprayed potpourri everywhere. And cleaned. Lucas thought his mind was playing tricks with him, probably due to the lack of sleep. He dropped his bag on the floor, walked to the kitchen, and opened the fridge to get water. But as he grabbed the bottle, he noticed that there was food. Lots of food. His mind had been occupied but he knew that this was definitely not there before. He moved the food around in the fridge to examine it. Nope, Lucas shook his head; this food definitely wasn't there before. He closed the fridge and looked around his apartment and started to wonder if someone was here with him. He grabbed a baseball bat that was leaning against the corner of the room and walked to his bedroom. He slowly opened the door and saw the figure on his bed, silently snoring. His body immediately relaxed and a small smile crept on his face.

* * *

Riley slowly opened her eyes and saw that it was nearly four in the afternoon. She was shocked that she slept the day away but noted the lack of sleep must've finally caught up with her. She hadn't realized she was so tired but when she fell onto Lucas' bed, it was too comfy to resist. As she started to stretch and yawn, she felt that she wasn't alone anymore. Looking down at the arm that's currently draped around her waist, Riley turned her neck slightly to see the blond boy sleeping behind her. She didn't really know how to describe what she was feeling. There was a sense of queasiness every time she saw his face. It wasn't a queasiness that made her want to throw up or anything, but that feeling in the pit of her stomach was always there. She slowly turned her whole body to face him, careful to not wake him. The way his face looked so peaceful while he was sleeping was something Riley always enjoyed. She remembered back to when their group of friends used to nap in her room. Everyone would find a comfortable position, whether it would be at the bay window, on the floor, or her bed. Sometimes she slept alone or next to Maya or Farkle. She slept next to Zay once but he just kept kicking. He was forced to sleep by himself from then on. But when she was lucky, she would sleep next to Lucas. And it didn't matter what position they started off the nap with, when she woke up, his arm would always have a tight hold around her waist. And she never minded. In fact, she cherished the moment when it was only her who was awake. It gave her time to examine his face. She often caught herself outlining the features of his face with her finger, gently gliding around his mouth, eyes, and nose. Lucky for her, Lucas never knew. She chuckled at the memory as she found herself tracing his face with her fingers again.

* * *

Lucas didn't dare open his eyes but he knew what she was doing. He could feel her finger gliding and her touch lingered on his face. He had missed this. He remembered when she used to do this in high school while he was pretending to sleeping. He always just kept his eyes closed, savoring every touch she gave him, wanting to cherish the moment of holding her in his arms and regretting the moment he would have to let her go. It was odd but as he laid next to her with his arm around her waist, he felt the same sensation he did in high school: a tingly in his body. A tingly that he only ever felt with her. He didn't want to let this feeling go. So, he kept his eyes closed and unconsciously hugged her tighter, afraid that if he didn't, she would disappear. But then he felt her lips on his. And before he could stop himself, he kissed her back. He felt her hesitation and just held her tighter, hoping she would feel his reassurance and not pull away. Seconds later, her resistance seemed to slip as he felt her crawl on top of him, holding his face firmly in her hands. He opened his eyes and saw her beautiful brown eyes staring back at him. Before he had a chance to say anything, she crashed her lips to his. If this was what heaven felt like, Lucas was never letting go.

* * *

Riley opened her eyes and saw that it was nighttime. She couldn't believe she fell asleep again. But as she looked at the naked man sleeping next to her, a little smile appeared on her face. She was happy. So happy. But so terrified. Were they together now? Or did they just make a horrible mistake? Panic started to set in her mind. What if they're not good together? Did she just ruin the relationship they had? Riley started panicking and tried to sit up but was held down.

"Stop thinking," she heard a low grumble from the man whose mouth is currently smashed against the pillow.

Riley sighed, "How did you know?"

Lucas turned over so he was lying on his back but his eyes remain closed, "You think I need to look at you to know when you're panicking?"

"Oh." She stayed still for a second as she looked at the ceiling. Tapping her fingers against the bed, she grew impatient and turned to face him.

"Shouldn't we talk about what happened?"

Lucas chuckled, "We had great sex, what's there to talk about?"

That earned him a smack and before she had a chance to pull away her hand, he held onto it and cradled it against his chest. "Lucas, I'm being serious."

"So was I."

Riley raised his eyebrow and gave him a look, "Can you be any more of a guy?"

Lucas finally opened his eyes and turned his face to look at her, "That was my first time since our last time."

Riley gasped, "You didn't with Lili?"

He shook his head, brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed it, "No, I didn't."

With this newfound information, she stayed quiet. She didn't want to show it but she was excited. Their last time was her last time. And the time before that and the time before that.

"You haven't, have you?"

His question brought her out of her thoughts. She shook her head and saw a smile form on him. He palmed her face with his hands and kissed her on the lips.

When they separated to take a breath, Riley whispered, "What are we?"

"What do you want us to be?"

She looked at his eyes staring back at her and she lost her breath. They've tried this before but never made it past the first date. By now, they've had seven first dates and all of them ended with them saying the timing wasn't right. But she didn't want that to happen again.

"I think...we should hang out."

Lucas raised his left eyebrow and a smirk appeared, "Hang out?"

"Our track record of dates hasn't been so great. So maybe we shouldn't call it dates. We can just call it a hang. And see where it goes?"

He kissed her shoulder and looked back at her face again, "And while we're 'hanging out,' are we seeing anyone else?"

"No," Riley blurted quickly and loud. Realizing what she just did, she turned to look away from his face. She felt her cheeks turn warm and knew she was blushing.

He chuckled. He pulled her closer to him and started kissing the spot of her neck that always solicited a sensual moan, "Can we also do this if we're 'hanging out'?"

He only heard a small 'yes' being uttered but he felt satisfied with the arrangement. He knew Riley Matthews loved him. And he loved her. He knew he had to let her get to that realization herself, let her figure things out at her own pace. He waited twelve years, through middle school, high school, bachelors, and now whilst he studied at vet school and she studied for her masters and credentials, he knew he could wait a bit longer.

"Okay."

* * *

"Riley Matthews, I will forever be your slave as long as you keep cooking like this," Lucas shouted as he had a mouth full of chicken Parmesan.

She chuckled at his outburst as she started loading some of the dishes into his dishwasher. "I'll hold you to that Friar."

"That's fine with me." And silence fell between them till Lucas spoke up again, "How's school?"

"It's great. I had a meeting with my guidance counselor and she suggested that I try to find some student teacher opportunities so I can get more experience than just our credit requirements. I think I'll ask Uncle John about it." She turned to face Lucas as she spoke with excitement.

"That sounds great. Any plans for semester break?" He asked as he finished the last bite of his food and pushed the plate and fork forward for Riley to take.

"Just going home to spend Christmas with the family. They're going down to Philadelphia during the New Years for a few days to spend time with the grandparents. I got an interview with the department head about my thesis when class starts up again so I'll be coming back here," Riley explained. "You? Excited for Texas?"

"Actually, my parents just told me last week that they decided to take Pappy Joe on a cruise. So... I'll be here all through break." Lucas said he walked to stand next to Riley in the kitchen.

She immediately spun around to face him, scrunched her face at his statement and shook her head, "You're going to be alone on Christmas? No, you're coming back home with me."

He smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I was hoping you would say that."


End file.
